Clare County Sheriff gets AEDs for patrol cars

By SUSAN FIELD/@sfield_msun

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Walking in to the Clare County Sheriff’s Department Tuesday, Brett Hansen had his hands full.

With help from sheriff’s officers, Hansen, operations manager for Mobile Medical Response ambulance service, brought into the department eight automatic external defibrillators, lining them up in a hallway.

Hansen opened one of the plastic cases housing the AEDs, and showed Sheriff John Wilson and others the portable, life-saving device.

With a matching grant from MMR and the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority, the AEDs are being put in the trunks of patrol cars so deputies can take action in the event of a cardiac emergency if they arrive before emergency medical technicians.

Mobile Medical Response gets funding for such purchases through a foundation at the Michigan Cardiovascular Institute, which raises money for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the purchase of AEDs, Hansen said.

Clare County’s insurer, the MMRMA also funded the purchase of the devices, Wilson said.

Each costing $1,300, the portable AEDs are important because there are times when MMR ambulances are on calls and sheriff’s cars are in closer proximity to cardiac emergencies, Wilson said.

Operating ambulances in 10 Michigan counties, including Isabella, Clare and Gratiot, MMR has placed more than 100 AEDs in police cars, Hansen said.

While showing one of the AEDs, which are also placed in the Clare County Building, Hansen said the devices don’t operate with paddles but with disposable pads.

Clare Sheriff’s deputies and other officers have already been trained in how to use AEDs, but Sgt. Rob Hager said they will be trained how to operate the model that will be in patrol cars.

(Susan Field can be reached at 989-779-6075, sfield@michigannewspapers.com or follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/#!/susan.k.field.)